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THE 



MISREPRESENTATIONS 



OF 



"A MEMBER OF THE HICKORY CLUB" IN REPLY TO DR. MAYO'S 



"SKETCHES," &.C., 



REFUTED. 



BY ROBERT MAYO, M. D. 



WASHINGTON : 
PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR, 

BY GARRET ANDERSON 
1837. 



t JS I 



\^ 







J 



THE 



MISREPRESENIATIONS 



OF 



" A REPLY," &c. 

REFUTED. 



By a perusal of the following extracts from the Glohe and the 
Intelligencer, the Public will, at once, be in possession of the incen- 
tives which have impelled me to this hasty refutation of certain state- 
ments, which I had contemplated to defer for a more leisurely and 
fuller Expose than I have time or space for here. I feel rejoiced, 
however, that circumstances have induced me to abandon the first 
purpose of procrastination, as some erroneous impressions mio-ht be- 
come fixed, in quarters where any future notice might not reach them. 

Fro7n Saturday nighVs Glohe, September 30. 
An answer to the publication of Dr. Robert Mayo is in press, and may be had 
on Monday next, at the bookstore of Garret Anderson, who is authorized to receive 
orders for any number that may be required. 

From Monday morning's Intelligencer, October 2. 
" An Answer to Dr. Mayo's Publication." — This is the title of a publication 
announced for to-day, in Saturday night's Globe, without the name of the author. 
It evidently comes from some portion of " the Kendall faction," to whom I am 
thankful for the notoriety they are giving to my publication among their friends • 
as it will be likely to serve a good purpose, by insuring a hearing before all parties 
who are disposed to examine statements on both sides, and judo-e for themselves. 
I cannot pretend to pro-suppose the purport of this answer. My statements and 
deductions have been made upon documentary evidence : it will, therefore bo diffi- 
ctilt for the author of the Answer to gainsay them upon a contradictory suite of 
documents. But, whatever may be the character of his statements, I shall give 
them such notice as they may deserve. R. MAYO. 

From Wednesday morning's Intelligencer, October 4. 
A CARD. 
In my Caveat in the Intelligencer of yesterday's date, in relation to the an. 
nouncement in Saturday night's Globe, of "An Answer" (forthcoming) to a pub- 
lication of mine, I remarked, that " I could not pretend to pre-suppose the purport 
" of that answer ; that my statements and deductions had been made upon docu. 
" mentary evidence ; and that it ^yould, therefore, be difficult for the author of the 



"Answer lo gainsay tliom upon a contradictory suite of cloc.iimf nts ; but that, 
"whatever niij^lit be tlie character of his statoiaents, 1 should give them such no- 
" ties as tliey may deserve." 

I, accordiiio;ly, procured a copy of this publication, upon its appearance yester- 
day morning-, and foniid it to Iw a vile com])ound of uii.sr(!prescnlatioiis, perversions 
of trutJi, and al).soInte falschootls; destitute of asinofle material truth, and scarcely 
containinir one inunaterial circumstance of truth, excejjt to set off', and "-ive color- 
ing to, a grosser falsehood. It is, moreover, as I had conjectured, unaccompaniod 
with a single document or reference upon tiie main issues, to impart even the veri- 
similitude of truth to its statements ; but jesuitically attempts to chanirc tiie main 
issues of my publication, by producing a diversion of public attention to personali- 
ties to me — both false in tiieir nature, and irrelevant to the matters pretended to 
bo answered. 

Though this is an anonymous production, and bears internal evidence of its ema- 
nation from the vilest of sources, I shall not treat it with the silent contempt gene- 
rally awarded to such effusions. But it will take a largo portion of a book, already 
in promise to the Public, to comprise the full exposure and refutation of its vile 
statements; nor, indeed, could I ask it of the Editors of the Intelligencer, or any 
other journal, to befoul their columns with a suitable rebutter, in kind, to such a 
tissue of stutf from an anonymous . 

I shall not be diverted, however, by clamors or false issues, from my settled pur- 
pose, of giving to the Public that history of late occurrences here, which I have 
promised ; embracing a refutation of this anonymous libel among them. And I 
take this occasion to invite the connnunication of any facts, in corroboration of 
the purport of my promised " Sketches of eight years in Washington," from whom, 
soever may be in possession of such facts, with refercnces sufficient to entitle them 
to publicity. R. MAYO. 

Wasui.sgto.n, October 3, 1837. 

From Wednesday nighVs Globe, October 4. 

To THE Public. — I perceive, in the Intelligencer of this morning, a " Card" 
signed " R. Mayo," attemptiug to deny the statements contained in a " Reply," by 
a " Member of the Hickory Club." He says : " It is unaccojnpanied by a single 
document, or a reference, upon the main issues, to impart even the verisimilitude of 
its statements." Tliis is false, because I quote two resolutions, one of which is up- 
on the record, and the other is not to be found. Does he not, by his " card," deny 
the authenticity of the following Resolution, as having been offered by himself? 

"Resolved, That, as a means of increasing our confidence in each other, and 
strengthening our number, it be recommended to the members of this Club, that, 
in their transactions with the citizens of Wasliington, for themselves and as agents 
for the public, they confine themselves to our political friends." 

To give the " Doctor" a fair opportunity to vindicate himself, I challenge him to 
nominate, through the public papers, a friend, to meet one whom I will select in the 
same manner, to examine the recordfjd proceedings of the "Club," and give their 
written opinions upon the correctness of the points at issue. Now, then, he has a 
fan- opportunity of sustaining himself, if he can ; and if he does not accept of this 
offer, it will be prima facie evidence of the correctness of my documents, and the 
falsehood of his "suite" of "documents." 

A MEMBER OF THE HICKORY CLUB. 

On Friday, the 6th instant, upon examination of the Globe, the 
above met my eye for the first time, having been infoimed by an 
acquaintance that such an article was in that paper of Wednesday 
night. Seeing the pertinacity of the anonymous author, in urging an 
issue with me upon matters more personal to me than material to the 
statements of my former publication, which he professes to have an- 
swered, I determined immediately to address him the following note, 
through Mr. Anderson's bookstore, whose agencv this " INIember of 



the Hickory Club" had advertised, for the sale of his " Reply," &;c., 
deeming that to be the most direct channel I had any authorized know- 
ledge of, through which 1 could be certain it would reach him. 

(Copy.) 

Washington, Septemher 6, 1837. 
To " ^ Memher of the Hickory Cluh ;" 

Your name, sir, if you please, is desired by 

Yours, &c., ROBERT MAYO. 

Upon calling at the store of Mr. Anderson, on Saturday evening, 
a note addressed to him, was handed to me for perusal ; and, on 
Monday morning, a copy of it, here subjoined, was furnished me by 
Mr. Anderson, who retains the original. 

(Copy.) 

Ociobrr G, 1837. 
Sir : The autlior of the Reply will receive nothing from Doctor Mayo, except 
through the same channel which he commenced the debate. If he feels himself 
personally aggrieved, the author of the " Reply" is ready and willing to give him 
any satisfaction that he may solicit. The author of the Reply has been actuated 
alone from principle, and that which he thought due to an injured public servant. 

(Signed) THE AUTHOR. 

True copy : H. ANDERSON. 

Having early received some strong surmises who this •'' Member 
of the Hickory Club" is, I felt some repugnance to noticing him in 
any other way than in the regular routine of my promised publica- 
tion, as stated in my Card of the 3d October. But judging, from 
his reiterations in the Globe, and by further reflection upon the inter- 
nal evidences of some of his statements, that he has been thrust for- 
ward by others, as a decoy-duck, to divert public attention from more 
important matters, which probe them to the quick, and fix that atten- 
tion upon the rubbish they have thrown together, I determined to pay 
my respects to the parties immediately, by demanding the name of 
the putative author. This has been refused, however ; and my alter- 
native now is, forthwith, to take as brief a notice of this production 
as possible, necessarily deferring a full Expose, for the general settle- 
ment adverted to in my Card above quoted. 

Some apology may be due to the public for giving any serious en- 
tertainment to these misrepresentations. To say the most charitable 
thins; possible of them, if their authors are, in reality, so ignorant of 
facts', as to believe what they set forth, they do but liken themselves 
unto a parcel of monkeys in a philosopher's laboratory, so confound- 
ing, breaking up, and besmearing every thing, as to give some per- 
plexity to the professor to recognise, or make any thing of his appa- 
ratus afterwards. I shall make the best of it, however, commencing 



with their first words, and accompany them, step by step, tlnough all 
their allegations, paragraph after paragraph. 

First Paragraph. 

" In noticing the strictures of Dr. Mayo upon the Poslmastor Gonoral, T am ac- 
tuated by a sense of duty wliich I owe to my follow-men, to candor, and to truth." 

Here is a prepossessing and solemn pledge of truth, candor, and 
duty, which, as far as naked words and professions go, would not dis- 
credit a prelude to the most righteous ceremonial. Hut when it is 
discovered to be the preface of the vilest of misrepresentations and dis- 
ingenuous perversions of truth, to give coloring to grosser falsehoods, 
it must be viewed as sheer profanity — aggravating the sin of his false 
statements. 

In the second sentence of the same paragraph — 

He alleges that I am possessed of a grovelling, seljli^h, and petulant disposition, 
as evinced by every act of my life. 

There is not one act of my life that evinces a grovelling or a selfish 
disposition. He has not cited one, and I defy him or any other man 
to do it. On the contrary, the crectness and the munificence of my 
whole life, would establisii the very reverse of this gratuitous and 
malignant assertion. The most ample documentary evidences of 
these facts are in my possession ; and the facts themselves are suffi- 
ciently known to all who have had an early and continuous acquaint- 
ance with me, to dispense with a detail of them here, to rebut a gra- 
tuitous assertion of an anonymous slanderer, without reference to 
proof. As to the other count, if I am not the best tempered man in 
the world, or even if I am far otherwise, I am not singular in that 
respect. I believe, however, that I have never shown a want of 
equanimity or moderation of temper, except when I have encounter- 
ed some vile knave, or some intolerable fool ; and common repute 
will declare, that there are enough of these in every man's walk, oc- 
casionally to discompose the even tempers of the most philosophic, 
intelligent, and honest of purpose, in every community. 

I am charged with having become so unpopular in Richmond, that I was com. 
palled to remove — having been engaged in several encounters with individuals. 

As to the precise nature or extent of my want of popularity, I can- 
not vouch, nor can any man safely aver for himself in such a matter. 
But I will recount a few circumstances, by which the reader may form 
some estimate of this equally gratuitous assertion, as, in every other 
instance, without even an attempt at proof. When I first cam^ to 
Washington, some time after the inauguration of General Jackson, 



when nearly all the principal offices here had been distributed among 
his political friends, I was recommended to the President, by about 
ifty of the most respectable citizens of Richmond, for the olhce of 
Librarian to Congress, " should it be in his contemplation to remove 
the then incumbent." Among these, was the late Governor William 
B Giles and the Mayor of the City, several members of the Com- 
mon Hall, the Bar, and the Faculty. This document, I believe, is 
yet in the possession of General Jackson, with many testimonials of 
the same purport, that have not been returned to me, as others have 
been, all goin^ clearly to discredit the scandalous intent of the above 
assertion. That 1 was unpopular with some of the citizens of Rich- 
mond, partly on account of my advocacy of the election ol General 
Jackson, and partly from some personal causes of trivial import, (not 
afFectincT the honor of a gentleman,) I have no doubt ; but no one 
will say 1 was ever backward to meet and respond to any personal 
arievance, real or imaginary, even on political grounds. But, that I 
was under any influence whatever, in leaving Richmond, other than 
my own free choice and preference, i? utterly and maliciously talse. 
And any one who knows me, knows that 1 am among the last in the 
world who could be actuated by any other than a free, open, and up- 
right demeanor, regardless of any ulterior views to popularity. Popu- 
lat-ity is a thincr that 1 never sought. It is a whimsical sentiment 
that as rarely /oZ/ott's merit as eschews it. Where is General Jack- 
son's popularity, now, in his own State of Tennessee, and in the very ^ 
district of his dear Hermitage ! Who will say that Amos Kendall 
could be elected for a Justice of the Peace, or a Constable, in any 
liamlet of this Union, upon leaving the Post Office Department! 
Popularity is too often an inconvenient commodity, which requires 
such an equipoise on all sides, that few men can find the means to ba- 
lance. I seek it not, nor has it ever entered my brain to modify my 
conscientious convictions of right conduct, for such a tinsel ; it it comes, 
I have no objection ; but all I ask of the world h civility ^xxA justice— 
and let any man beware of withholding these. It is true, that 1 have 
had several encounters in Richmond. I have flogged some persons 
there, and have evinced my readiness to add to the number, il neces- 
sary. I have also done the same here, and have no doubt 1 shall 
take a hand again soon; but what does this prove? Not that the 
cases cannot justify themselves, as they have heretofore lully done. 
Perhaps we here find somewhat of a reason why this Anonyme se- 
cretes his name. Yet I am not particularly fond of the sport, except 
when wantonly offended. Probably 1 also rendered myselt un- 
popular with some persons, by espousing the maltre^atment oi the 
prisoners when I was Physician to the Richmond jail,* out of which 

* I must refer to [ A ] in the Appendix, for the law ^^S^l^f^^^^^^^Yer^l,'^^^^^^ 
these institutions throughout the State, as a representative of all the other docu- 
ments on this subject, too numerous to be introduced with it. 



8 

resulted not only my discontinuance as Physician to the jail, but that 
which was greatly more grateful to my soul than the place 1 lost — 
the reform of the whole jail system of police throughout the Slate, by 
the Act of the next Legislature. Probably 1 farther rendered my- 
self unpopular with others, by exposing, through the colunms of my 
paper, to a subsequent Legislature, the enormous Atvoritisms extend- 
ed by the President and Cashier of the Virginia Bank to the house 
of Rogers and Harrison, in discounting their tvind-drafts* without 
laying them before tiie Board of Directors, by which they were en- 
abled to engross something like a monopoly of the tobacco trade of 
Richmond ; for the investigation of which, with other matters, a com- 
mittee of the House of Delegates was appointed, who reported, there- 
on, a forfeiture of the Bank charter ; but, from the advanced period 
of the session, the report was not definitively acted upon, — ^and, be- 
fore the next session, the President and Cashier had, no doubt, 
mended their ways, and a conciliatory spirit probably interposed for 
their forgiveness and peace. 

In the former case 1 was admonished by a friend, that I would lose 
my office ; in the latter it was intimated to me, that I would bring on 
myself the denunciations of the moneyed power; but neither had 
the effect to divert my course, or abate my ardor. And those who 
know me best here, well know that, in the enterprise of detecting a 
fraud upon the public faith, or exposing an abuse of trust, 1 look not 
to the preservation of my rations, or the conciliation of favor from 
the hand of corruption. Here is a case, in which one who is accused 
of a mercenary or " selfish disposition," brings to the bar of public 
opinion the President and Cashier of a powerful and popular money- 
ed institution, and, as it were, holds their faces to the grindstone 
for a season ; and another case, in which I sacrificed office for the 
public good, before I came to Washington ; and five times have 1 done 
the same thing since I came here ; yet this profound casuist would 
pretend, in the conclusion of his first paragraph, that 1 have been 
fighting for office all the while. The idea of fighting for office, 
while continually _^^A/iVig- one's self out of office, betrays a fatuity of 
intellect, only befitting the mind that could make such a stupid jum- 
ble of falsehoods and nonsense that characterize the whole of the 
pamphlet under review. Such an intellect could never comprehend 
the nobler motive of sacrificing one's self for the public good. And, 
indeed, I fear it is too rare a virtue, in the present day, to be fairly 
appreciated by many. However that may be, none of these conse- 
quences ever came on me by surprise, nor would I change my course, 
were it at my option to do so. 

* I must also refer to [ B ] in the Appendix, (being an extract from the report of 
the Committee of Investigation,) as a representative of tlie other documents on this 
subject. 



Second and Third Paragraphs. 
It is here alleged that the Hickory Club was established to disseminate "demo, 
cratic principles," &c. 

I have already shown, in the other jrablication, that this was the 
plausible declaration of its object, by which a great number of per- 
sons were induced to aid in its establishment, and to become meni- 
bers. And 1 have also shown, that Kendall, who originated this 
scheme, as a means of promoting his own ambitious views, has been 
the most flagrant violater of those principles, in various ways ; and, 
particularly, °in appointing all the members of his family to office, to 
the tune of # 12,000 a year. Who is there, among his then zealous 
proselytes, who could have anticipated this, while they were aidmg 
him to disseminate his plausible doctrines ! or that his professions of 
democracy would degenerate into Fanny Wrightism, under the newly 
invented disguise of loco focoism, to gull the " democracy of num- 
bers" withal, and enrage their phrenzy against the settled institutions 
of their country, and the peace of society, threatening anarchy and 
revolution, by the adventitious aid of foreign paupers, to glut their 
desperate cupidity, and advance his ambitious aspirations to have our 
" infatif* Government placed under his tutelage, and put into lead- 
ing strings of his fabrication ! There can be no doubt, that all the 
facilities of the Post Othce Department are now in full requisition, to 
advance and mature these schemes ; and that the spirit of mobocracy, 
which has been so contagious for several years past, originated in a 
conspiracy of this father of loco focoism. When these convictions 
becran to beam upon my mind last winter, I immediately resolved to 
expose them ; which I did, in part, in the columns of the Washrng- 
tonian, and in the " Sketches," he, recently published. Will Amos 
Kendall deny the authorship of another " declaration of principles, 
pubhshed in the New-York Evening Post, over the signature of 
" Loco Foco," which lays the axe of revolution at the roots of all 
our corporate institutions. State and Federal ? Will he deny that he 
wrote letters to Harrisburgh, a winter or two ago, ui-ging the revoca- 
tion of the charter of the United States Bank of Pennsylvania ? 
Will he deny his agency in establishing the Democratic Herald, of 
Philadelphia, as a stronghold, and place of refuge, for himself and 
loco focoism, should be be turned adrift from the Government here? 
If he denies these two facts, I have the proof that he lies. 

It is also asserted, that Mr. KendaH took no part in the prosciiptive memorral, 
&c., but that the first movement wa&made by nse. 

Tliere can be no necessity for me to exhaust time or space here, 
upon this falsehood, as 1 have shown, by Kendall's own letter, in 

* See an extract from Kendall's speech, at the Hickory Club festival, recently 
published in my "Sketches." 
2 



10 

connexion with other statements in my former publication, what part 
he took upon this occasion, being the third tdition of proscription, 
I have, also, there stated what part he took in the second edition, 
which he oritrinated by invitin<r my assistance, through a clerk in his 
office, the avowal of wliich was afterwards made tome, pei-sonally, by 
Kendall himself. This proscriptive list of opposition clerks was af- 
terwards published in the Extra Globe, of the 1st May, 1831. The 
list was made out by myself and his clerk, alhidod to' by desire of 
Kendall, and we had no choice, whatever, in the ultimate disposition of 
it, except that one co[)y, as well as 1 recollect, was handed to Kendall 
by his clerk ; certainly another copy was handed to the President by 
myself, to take such a course as the parties, who dictated the rules of 
reform, and were to adjudge the merits, might think proper to give it. 
I have also demonstrated, by the most indisputable evidence, in the 
same publication, that the first edition of reform or proscription had 
been in active operation before I ever presented myself here, and of 
which I could have no knowledge. Yet the originalers, the perpe- 
traters of the measures of persecution on the one hand, and favoritism 
on the other, are now, and have been, ever since they were marked 
with tlie reprobation of public opinion, endeavoring to back out of 
their responsibility, and rest it all upon my shoulders, partly because 
they have some plausihility in my fearless avowal of tlie part I took, 
and partly to revenge themselves upon me for presenting specifications 
against Administration men as well as others, and thereby defeating 
their plans. 

These documents will show for themselves hereafter, notwithstand- 
ing this attempt of the Kendall faction, through their mouth-piece, to 
forestall them. 

It is further represented, that T was dismissed* from the Pension Office, because 
I had neglected my business, in proscribing others, &c. 

This is a positive falsehood, uttered in the face of a letter from 
Governor Cass, then Secretary of War, to the Hon. Louis M'Lane, 
then Secretary of State ; which letter was before the eyes of this 

* I refer to the class of documents [C ] in the Appendix, further to demonstrate 
the false statements of the " Member of the Hickory Club," in this case. It will 
be perceived, by a perusal of these documents, what kind of game was then com. 
menced to be played off upon me, after the failure of the third edition of proscrip- 
tion— a game of appalling and unequal odds, to any one but him who is fortified 
with truth and resolution. Tlie game to be played was that which has beon prac. 
tised upon thousands of others by Executive chicanery, to kill me off, by /«/*-c pre- 
tences. and frail promises, never intended to be fulfilled. And what made this 
game the more difficult for me to baffle, was not the universal example of othrrs, in 
succumbing to the same artifices, but in finding that the President was obviously 
won over, to lend his authority to this course towards me, after giving his decided 
sanction, upon frequent consultations, to the " principles of reform," sketched out 
and submitted to his examination. Fearful, indeed, must have been the task, to 



11 

''Member of the Hickory Club," at the time he made this assertion, 
it beincr published in the introduction to the " Sketches" he pretends 
to answer. That letter bears a date some days after the Memorial 
and Proscriptive List was laid before the Cabinet ; and it concludes, 
by stating, that, " from the fact of an important business having been 

most men, to attempt to win back Andrew Jackson to himself, and to a sense of 
justice to me, in every case of my dismissal from office by heads of Bureaux of his 
own appointment. But I did succeed, and, I believe, as much to his credit as my 
own, considering all the circum..tances by which he was surrounded I , m hUing 
up the details of indivi.lual.s, whose acts and disqualifications subjected them to be 
embraced under these heads, there were found more of General Jackson s own 
appointments, and political friends, under the most exceptionable ot them, is 
thai mv fault? Should I have rejected the representations made against them 
thouffh the most heinous, and have selected only those made against his political 
enemies, though the least reprehensible '. Yet, I say, this has boen my otfence : 
and whilst, bi^he course of fairness I determined to pursue, I have been the means 
of exploding this petty, one-sided proscription, no man has yet had it in his power 
to apmeciate my action in this matter, but the unwortliy portion of the political 
friends of the late administration, under whose vindictive hands I have received a 
full measure of revenge. But retribution will surely come, tiiough I take the thing 

more at my leisure. . r^i i . * r *u„ 

For a further vindication of myself, I here subjom a copy of the abstract of the 
Principles of Reform ; the detail of specifications must await the coming ol more 
leisure and spaci-. 

Principles of Reform laid before the President in 1833. 

" Do not the following Specifications indicate the subjects of salutary reform, 
by the removal of the incumbont in the more objectionable cases, and by the inter- 
diction of tiie future repetition of the minor offences? ,u„.„ „,!.« 

1st " There are, in the different departments of the Government, those who 
have held otfice exceeding twenty years, being more than five presidential terms- 
amounting to something like a life estate in office, in utter subversion oi the con- 
servative republican principle of rotation. . „i„,u„ :„ 

'5d " Tiiere are minors and women taken into the public sorvice as clerks, in 
direct violation of that responsibility which the law requires ^^ ^^^l^.^' ° J'^;;^^; 
Government, the pliraseology of wliich uniformly contemplates matuiity ot years 

and the masculine gender. , . ■ , i- r * 

3d "There are those who divert the patronage of this Administration from itB 
friends and supporters, by bestowing it on its bitter revilers ^^^^.-^'^^^'/^^'^^'^'f ' "J 
violation of a fundamental law, which declares it treason to aid ff comfort our 
enemies in time of war, thereby committing virtual treason against the chosen Ad- 
ministration of the people, while the most implacable and untiring enemies ot the 
Renublic are yet in the field. , t^ , . t^ „ 

4tli. " It i/a practice, more or less general, in some of the Departments, to au- 
thorize the clerks to raise accounts for extra services, contrary to the ^F"-'* ^s we • 
as the letter of the law, which regulates the compensation of officers in the Uepari- 



ments 



slh.' "Clerks in some of the Departments are permitted ^ojibsent thernse^lyes 

from duty without excuse of ill-health or ">-g«"t b"^^"«^^' ^-"'"Haf while 
months, or more, in succession, at the same tune drawing their full pay, while 
those left at their desks have to assume increased burthens. 

6th " Without knowing how general this practice may be, it is statea lo mo, 
that a clerk in one of the Departments was permitted to --Hhdraw from ^^^^^^^ 
about the first of March, and date his resignation, to take effect the first ot April, 
drawing his salarv for a month after he had withdrawn from the City. 

7th "The payment of the salaries of deceased clerks for some time after their 
deaths, has, I am credibly informed, been a very general practice. 



12 

recently intrusted to liini, [ meaning my compilation of the Pension 
Laws, as a clerk of the Pension Office, ] 1 have heen brought con- 
siderably in contact with him, and have found him attentive, well- 
informed, and capable." [ Dated May 2, 1833. ] 

Fourth Paragraph. 

" The Pector was then out of omployraont, and instead of seeking it elsewhere," 
&c., «fcc. 

Here, this egregious blunderer, leaps over a space of four years, 
and all the remarkable incidents it evolved, in the Land Office, in 
the Patent Office, and elsewhere, to write a tissue of falsehoods in 
relation to the office 1 now hold, to which I was appointed this day 
year ; not, as he says, by the Chief Clerk of the War Department, 
but by an arrangement between the President and Governor Cass, 
upon the President's return here from Tennessee, and before the lat- 
ter left here for France. As this blunderer also seems to think it 
material to state to the public that my salary is ^'600 — his malice in 
that, may likewise be exposed, by stating the fact, that my salary is 
{^95 per month, being within a fraction of ,^'1,200 a year, out of 
which I live as parsimoniously as possible, devoting all I can spare to 
liquidate debts, incurred here, and unavoidably postponed and jeo- 
parded, to the injury of innocent creditors, by the cruel loss of time 
and employment that 1 have suffered at the hands of delinquent 
friends of the Administration, who actually deserved a worse fate than 
mine, vvhile I should, at least, have been protected, or have been 
heard. But let ine ask this mouth-piece of Kendall, who gives the 
salaries ? Shall I be subject to such niggardly jibes, if they are dis- 
tributed upon the principles of favoritism, like those practised by 
Kendall to the youthful members of his family, as well as the decre- 
pid of age, over the ratio of services they can ever perform, to the 
exclusion of more capable men. 1 am content with what I get, 

8th. " There are those who perform little or no service for their salaries, but devote 
their ofBca hours, sometimes to walking the streets and fr quenting the Hotels, at 
other times, to reading the newspapers, talking on politics, and othfr irrelevant 
matters, in ofRce, to the greit annoyance and interruption of those associated with 
them, in utter disregard of the o;ith of office. 

9th. " There are those who patronize, by their own practices, gambling to excess, 
intoxication to excess, and frauds upon creditors, apparently as a systematic busi- 
ness. 

10th. "There are those who empoison the avenues of public intelligence, by defa- 
matory denunciations against the Administration, vilifying the President and his 
friends, regardless of the obligations of decency, of justice, or of trutli, and in vio- 
lation of their oath to be faithful. 

11th. " There are a great many who entertain the most relentless hostility to the 
union of the States, who declare their adhesion to Duff Green and Mr. Calhoun, 
and openly denounce the President and his friends, while they advocate disobedience 
to the laws and the Constitution, under the disguise of nullificitioii and secession, 
preparatory to the establishment of two empires, with the Potomac for the dividin? 
line." ^ 



13 

thouc^b 1 might be entitled to more, on a comparison with others, who 
get double as much. 

Fifth Paragraph. 

I am here charged with " causing the removal of Alexander Mclntyre, and endea- 
voring to remove Dr. Craig, then Superuitendent of the Patent Office, to make 
room for myself." 

This is false in all its bearings. I knew not of the President's inten- 
tion to turn out Mr. McI., and was surprised to hear of it, when it 
was done, though 1 was put in his place. All I ever said of him to 
the President was several years before this occurrence, in the pre- 
scriptive list, upon information furnished by Thomas B. Reilly and 
others, in connexion with statements of much more reprehensible 
facts against friends of the dominant party. The allegation is equally 
false in relation to Dr. Craig. Both himself and Mr. McI. had re- 
cently been brought to a severe test for their official conduct, by an 
investigation* ordered by Mr. McLane, then Secretary of State, and 

* Hers follows the letter of the Secretary of State, in which that investigation 
resulted. I have only to say, that if these facts had been discovered in any man- 
ner through my agency, no appointment would have been given me in that office, 
as the heads of Bureaux are, as a general rule, permitted to keep about them those 
who are " agreeable to them." 

Department op State, 

Washington, March 28, 1834. 
Sir : I have examined the charges preferred against you by Mr. William P. El- 
liot, together with the evidence taken in the case, accompanied by the report of the 
Commissioner appointed to conduct the investigation. 

In the progress of tliis examination, I have seen much in your conduct, and in 
that of Mr. Steiger, which is deserving of censure, and much that it is difficult to 
excuse ; but I refrain from doing more, at the present time, than to lay down the 
following directions : 

You are, hereafter, to preserve and file all the official correspondence, of whatever 
character ; you are to keep a book corresponding to that which was formerly kept in 
the office, under the name of the " Caveat Book," in which are to be entered all 
such descriptions as are received from persons not desirous of immediately taking 
out patents for their inventions. 

The ninth section of the Act of Congress, of February 21st, 1793, is to be care- 
fully observed, and no case is to be considered as exempt from its application, until 
the patent is actually issued. The roguhitions heretofore prescribed by the Depart- 
ment in regard to copies of drawings, and to the employment of clerks, in prepar- 
ing papers relating to business which is to be acted on by the Department, or copy- 
ing papers on file or of record in the Department, the former of which bears date on 
the 17th of October, and the latter on the 16th of December last, are to be strictly 
obeyed. And in the construction of the former, all the drawings upon the same 
sheet of paper, representing diffi;rent parts of the same invention, are to be consi- 
dered as one drawing, and to be charged for accordingly. No original papers are, 
at any tune, or on any account, to be suffisred to be taken from the office, without 
the special permission of the Secretary of State. 

You are desired distinctly to understand, that a failure to comply with either of 
these directions, if discovered, will be promptly noticed, and will be considered as 
good and sufficient cause for your removal from your present station. 
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

^ LOUIS McLANE. 

John D. Craig, Esq. 



14 



published in pamphlet form, (in compliance with a resolution of Con- 
gress ) of which I had no knowledge whatever, until after the ren)o- 
val ot Mr. Mel and my appointment. 1 had, however, been but 
hen recently .n omied by Mr. Kendall, that Dr. Craig would proba- 
bly be dismissed, without learning upon what grounds, and he pro- 
mised personally to solicit the President fo.' the appointment, for me. 
1 doubt whether he ever did, however, and 1 certainly did not. 

Sitth Paragraph. 

The purport of this parac^raph is to charge-that I endeavored to procure the 
removal of Colonel Ashton, at that tin.e Marshal of the District, that I might ob- 
tain his situat.o„_and that, if appointed, I would remove Mr. Dyer, on whose ac 
count I had reproached Col. A., &-c. 

I did present Col. Ashton to the Grand Jury, as has been stated i., 
niy foriner publication ; but it is false that I ever desired the office of 
Marshal. TionriasB. lleilly, the brother-in-law of Col. Ashton, was 
the indindual who first mentioned to me that Col. Ashton's dismissal 
was confidently expected, in consequence of some irregularity about 
the fees of his oflice, a.id suggested to me to apply foiMhe situation. 
I told him instantly, and distinctly, that I would not have it if it were 
offered tome ; that my habits of life were sedentary and unsuited for 
the activity it would require ; but that even were it suitable in every 
respect, 1 cou d not hope to succeed, or 1 should before now have had 
more justice done me in other respects. After this, I heard no more 
of that matter. And as to the case of Mr. Dyer, I am free to say, 
that when I first came here, he, whom I knew not, and a great many 
others, equally then unknown to me, had already been turned out of 
office purely lor opinion's sake, whatever may have been the valid 
charges that justified the removal of some re^v others. I also found 
that Mr Dyer was very shortly afterwards appointed to office by 
> M i'°"' ''',]° ^^;:\^'"^^bted for his appointment to the removal 
ot Mr. Kinggold. This impressed me as a most damning incon- 
sistency ! If Mr.^ Ringgold was a fit subject for prosciption, and it 
so Jar met Col. A. s approbation as to reconcile it to himself to accept 
his despoiled office upon the same principle he could not appoint 
Mr. Dyer, who had also been found a fit subject for party proirin- 
tion at least, in another branch of the absolute government of exec- 
utive unity and indivisibility ! I, therefore, as a green novice, thought 
JMr. Dyer s apponitment (in the abstract, without knowing him) was 
culpable in Col. A., or, that there was gross culpability elsewhere, in 
the boasted unity ! Following out these reflections, is no evidence of 
my desirmg the removal of Mr. Dyer. I utterly deny, and before 
the world defy such an inference. But how stands the case since I 
have become acquainted with Mr. Dyer ? Before God, I aver that 



16 

I never met with a nobler hearted man ! Nay, more, from the ac- 
quaintance I have since formed with several others, who were also 
turned out of office, before 1 came here, in the same unceremonious 
manner, neck and heels, taking them as a corps, I have been as- 
tonished to find so much merit ejected from the public service INor 
is that all -—only behold the contrast— aye, the contrast ! and mark 
me • should that happy time ever arrive, when the Congress ot the 
United States shall be sufficiently dispossessed of the fiend ol party, 
to permit the glorious impulses of patriotism to resume the dominant 
sway of their hearts, and, among other things, contrast the group oi 
officers turned out and officers put in their places— looking at this 
group and then at that, their souls would sink within them, sickened 
with the mixed feelings of mortification and chagrin, indignation and 
shame ' ' ' \nd has it come to this, that such a toul blot upon the 
nation's character, under the operations of the first edition of reform, 
before I came here, should now be attributed to me as my work, 
when, in fact, I have done more than every man besides, to put a 
stop to it, and verily believe that it is forever exploded. 

Seventh Paragra'ph. 

This anonymous wretch next charges me witli ingratitude to Amos Kendall ! 
alleging that I had received " relief from his private purse," &c. 

Incrratitude to Amos Kendall ! the last man in the world to know 
what^gratitude is, or to perform an act by which a debt of gratitude 
could be incurred by another towards him. This charge, I presume, 
is founded upon some representation of Kendall's, which is worse than 

fahe. . , 1 .• 

The facts are these : In those, to me, trying and treacherous times, 
I could not comprehend why 1 was permitted to be made a sacrifice, 
for aiding, by invitation, in furnishing the information sought for, to 
enable the Executive to fulfil the pledges to the country, of a saliUary 
reform. It was about this time, after being dismissed frorn^ the Pen- 
sion Office, while I was continually receiving broken promises to re- 
store me to employment; with professions of good wdl from ^^endall 
and others in the matter, that Kendall ./?rs^ suggested to me the idea 
of " leaving Washington," as a piece of friendly advice. 1 his hypo- 
critical counsel rent the veil of delusion in which I had been wrap- 
ped, and exhibited to my mind a revelation of duplicity that really 
astounded me. I did not rashly determine, however, Irom this, that 
his professions of good will were entirely insincere, though his letter 
from Baltimore had already shaken my faith in him. 1 resolved, 
therefore, to put him to a more substantial test, of trifling amount 
withal, that the inference might be divested of all doubt il so tritlmg 
an amount should be refused. I asked him, at one of these inter- 
views, to lend me two or three dollars, believing that if 1 was des- 



16 

lined, in hU opinion, to he sacrificed, he would refuse ; but if not, that 
he would find no difficulty in making the loan, on the prospect of a 
future provision to be made for me. He did refuse, however, so 
j)itiful a loan, I urged my situation, and hope of appointment : He 
could not be moved. 1 told him a mutual friend in office (Major 
Thomas Harrison, then in the General Land Office) owed me five 
dollars, which he would pay at the end of the month, when I could 
return the tiuee requested. He then rdaxed, and said if I " would 
bring kirn an accejjtcd order an that gentleman, for jive dollars, he 
wauld let me have it! ! — which was done the next day. This docu- 
ment, if yet in being, I hope to produce before this is through ^the 
press; if not, the gentleman is in this District, and will no doubt cer- 
tify to it.* A.nd this is the marvellous act of kindness that Kendall 
now boasts of, through his anonymous tool — but, in fict, it told a tale 
of his heart, that he little suspected could be read by me, ever since 
which I have kept my eye fixed upon him, and have noted the con- 
firmations of these suspicions, as I have partly published in the pamph- 
let, that this toad-eater of his professes to answer. 

Eighth, Tenth, and Eleventh Paragraphs. 

I look npon the 8th, 10th, and 11th paragraplis, devoted to a 
panegyric on Amos Kendall, in relation to his agency in the removal 
of the De[)osites, &lc., &i.c., as a full confession of the conspiracy 
charged in my former publication. \. merit is made of this acknow- 
ledgement, I presume, as he probably thinks the loco-Jhco cause is fret- 
ting to be a strong one. 

Ninth Paragraph. 

Here, this liberal advocate affects to charge me with something 
new, or unknown, before, as the political editor of the Washingtonian, 
published here during the last session of Congress. This has never 
been denied or concealed by myself, but freely avowed to every 
one that choose to inquire. Moreover, the publisher was requested 
to refer any inquiries that should be made, to me. Did Kendall or 
any one else make any such call ? They did not. 

The other assertion, however, in his 9th paragraph, that I was then 
soliciting office from any one, much less of Amos Kendall, Is utterly 
false. At that time, for several months before, (and ever since, which. 

* Here it is r 

Washixcton, October 13, 1837. 

Dear Sir : I certify that you drew an order on ms, in favor of Amos Kendall, in 
October or November, 1833, for five dollars, which I accaptad, and paid at the end 
of the month. 

Yours, respectfully, 

THOMAS HARRISON. 
Dr. R. Mayo. 



17 

is a long time for me, I was in the oflice 1 am now in, and hazarding 
dismissal, if there were not an end to proscription for opinioii's sake, 
and officers of the Government, as well as others, allowed to breathe 
a little more freely. 

Twelfth Paragraj^h. 

In this paragraph there is, perfectly in character, some foolish stuff about my 
giving information to Mr. Wise, <fcc. 

When Mr. Wise first came to Congress, as a friend of the late Ad- 
ministration, the effort to enlighten General Jackson's mind in rela- 
tion to abuses that had taken deep hold among many of his own 
officers, particularly in the Post Office, Land Office, Pension Office, 
and Patent Office, had failed. In quality o( friends of the Adminis- 
tration, as well as myself,! did hold conversations with Mr. Wise, Mr. 
Chinn, and Mr. J. Y. Mason, respecting these abuses, and urged upon 
the two latter gentlemen, repeatedly, that the friends of General Jack- 
son, in Congress, ought to volunteer to assist the President in correct- 
ing these abuses, or they would, assuredly, at some subsequent time, 
be corrected over his shoulders by his political enemies, to the eternal 
disgrace of his Administration. I also expressed the same admoni- 
tions to several other political friends, whose names I withhold; but 
I advert to the names of Mr. Chinn and Mr. Mason, because they 
are now out of the line of political aspiration, and did nothing at the 
time, that I know of, to further my suggestions ; and I mention the 
name of Mr. Wise, because he has shown that he is not afraid. 

Thirteenth Paragraph. 

It is here imputed to me, that I have aspired to the highest offices under the 
Government. 

Tiiis is false, with all the rest. The highest office I ever asked 
for was the Consulate to Tripoli, and for no office here of a higher 
salary than the chief clerkship in the Patent Office, which is $'1,700, 
and was refused with a double injustice, by the Yankee trick of turn- 
ing me out of what I had, under the secret instigation of Kendall, as 
I have reason to believe, which shall be made apparent hereafter. 

Fourteenth Paragraph. 

For a most learned and able commentaiy upon tlie " order of the 
late President in relation to insolvent clerks," the subject of the above 
paragraph, I will refer to the columns of the Intelligencer, where I 
am told it is daily expected to appear under the proper signature of 
an intelligent Magistrate of this District. 



18 

Fifteenth, IGth, Mth, and iSth Faragrnphs. 

Tliese several paragraphs are devoted to a great discovery of a " Resolution" on 
the records of the Hickory C'lub, recommending a preference to political friends 
over political enemies I ' 

1 thank tlie " Member" for this precious result of his labored re- 
search. If Kendall did denounce this resolution, as stated, he crave 
the lie to bis own practice, or his practice gives the lie to his princi- 
ples, or rather the still grosser spoils principles of the party, practised 
with variations, ever since they came into power, until public indigna- 
tion put a stop to it. 1 say if Kendall did denounce it, his hypocrisy 
is a greater disgrace than his irregular practices in its obstrvancc and 
its violation, as the case suits him in distributing the favors of his 
office, of which there are numerous examples of both. But the fact 
is, I was not the author of the resolution ; it was handed to me by 
Tliomas B. Reilly, the Recording Secretary of the Club, for presenta- 
tion, as well as I recollect ; and 1 took for granted, of course, that it 
was orthodox from Kendall, and this is the first intimation 1 have 
had of his opposing it. The resolution only held up to the Club the 
mirror of their own party action ; and if they were ashamed of so 
mild a portraiture, where will they hide their heads from the faithful 
representation of their real acts o{ favoritism undeserved, and 'perse- 
cutions unto death — both e<]ually derogatory to the interests of the 
public service ! 1 

Nineteenth and Twentieth Paragraphs. 

Having thus far progressed in this business of lying, so much to his satisfaction, 
this wretch, here reverts back to the subject of his second paragraph, on the origin 
and object of tlie Hickory Club, where he had not yet acquired the hardihood of 
throat to gulp so gross a falsehood — but now opens his well-traiiied organ, and de- 
clares that " Mr. Kendall, instead of being the originator of the Club, did not 
know of its existence until several meetings had been held, nor until Dr. Mayo 
had become a member." 

Mr. Kendall was the originater of the Club, the original patron of 
the Club, to disseminate democratic principles, to indoctrinate our 
" infant Government " in Presidential elections, &,c ; and the plan of 
its organization was arranged between himself and Major Thomas B. 
Reilly, (with the aid probably of others,) during their retreat at Jack- 
son Hill, from the cholera, then raging in the city, where it had com- 
menced in Kendall's family. On my being initiated into the plausible 
part of the plan, (for the ulterior ends were best known, perhaps, to 
Kendall alone,) I was pleased with it, and became a zealous advocate, 
as they, no doubt, anticipated, from my wonted temperament of enthu- 
siasm in what I undertake, if I am once convinced it is right. 1 did, 
accordingly, w-ait upon many of the most respectable friends of the 
Jackson party, (first taking the counsel of Kendall as to whom I 



19 

should call on or avoid,) to inform theui of the project, and invite 
their attendance at the American Hotel. Mr. Kendall attended this 
first meeting, and every other meeting afterwards, when the weather 
permitted, until the " blow-out " at the Club festival, of which I have 
given an account in my former publication. He was also the chair- 
man of the committee to prepare the Declaration of Principles, and 
all other documents for general circulation ; and this was perfectly 
natural, or the Club could not have been so perfectly his organ, as, 
from the first, intended. 

As to the reiterated denial that Kendall had any designs to change 
the political character of this District, by the patronage of the Gov- 
ernment, I quote the words (or their tantamount) of his friend, Tho- 
mas B. Reilly, for the declaration, that " it is Mr. Kendall's opinion 
that the entire population of this District ought to be changed " — 
with political views of course, as these were always the burthen of 
his thoughts, as well as mine, whilst I was walking with that faction, 
hoodwinked and enveloped in midnight or pitch darkness. 

Twenty-first and Twenty-second Paragraphs. 

This poor creature, who is destitute of the endowment, by nature or education, 
to judge of disinterested and elevated motives, accuses me of endeavoring now, to 
ingratiate myself with the Wliigs for future advancement. 

Let me ask Mr. Kendall, in whose service this wretch seems to be 
engaged, if he begins so soon to despair, even at the beginning of a 
four or eight years' Administration ? And even if the Whigs, with the 
reinforcements going on, should turn tables upon these new-fledged 
locofocos, what am I to do v^^ithout his good graces in the meantime ? 
1 am surely a poor calculator, of interests at least, as it would appear 
by his own showing, who charges me, elsewhere, with being so selfish. 

Twenty-third, ^ith, 25th, 26th and 21th Paragraphs. 

These paragraphs are devoted to a little contemptible flummery 
about himself, about democracy of numbers, contest of wealth against 
liberty, insidious demagogues, and a " mess of pottage" — the St. 
Lawrence and the Gulf of Mexico ! ! 

Twenty-eighth, 29th and SOth Paragraphs. 

Here, this poor creature turns, once more, to the records of the Hickory Club, (in 
the keeping, I presume, of Thomas B. Reilly, Esq., who was the Recording Secro- 
tary,) to show that a resolution I quoted in my former publication, as having been 
offered by myself in the Club, and rejected, is not there to be found— the resolution 
purporting to call upon Jackson men who hold, or desire to hold office, to the ex- 



20 

elusion of opposition men, on account of various vices and oti.er ol.j.ctions statsd 
-to "present clean bills of oflic.r.likc conduct and .lualifications of their own." 

If the resolution does not appear on the record, it is not my faidt. 
Ihere is such a thing as "expunging," that has been in great favor 
with some people, and I thought more favorably of it myself once 
than I do now. But whether it has been practised in this case,' or the 
resolution merely omitted from the record, is immaterial to me It 
was offered and rejected, and I have among my papers the original 
rough draft from which it was copied. But this is only one of the 
many evidences which the documents, the memorial, the supplement, 
the abstract of principles of salutary reform," and the specifications, 
amply afford of the very essence of tiiis same resolution, endeavored 
to be established under the President's own sanction, in carryincr into 
complete effect, a sanative reform, for the good of the service, with- 
out regard to party, except to give his own political friends pre- 
lerence, ceteris panbus, over political opponents— but never to eject 
an ethcient and meritorious opponent for opinion's sake merely, and 
the more especially, not, in order to give his office to a political friend, 
of inferior merits in every respect, merely because he iiappened to 
shout — " Jiuzza for Jackson ! ! " 

Thirty-first, Tliirty. second, and Thirty-third Paragraphs. 

In these paragraphs, this wholesale liar concludes his strictures with the vilest 

yet, of all Ins scandals; in one place declaring that I applied to Kendall for the 

chief clerkship of the Post Office Department, and became offended because it was 

efused; that I fabricated an account against the Department, for the services of 

my brother, &c., &c. 

nl "^n' "^'^ 'PP^^ ^° ^^"^^" ^°^' ^'^^ <^hief clerkship of the Post 

AfrflT"'r"'V''''"''°'' '"^^"^^"^ ^'^' ^^-J^^^^-^r declares h. 
And as all such applications are made in writing, sustained by written 
recommendations, let him exhibit the proof* ^ 

.=t 1° wS'^'i! "'""f' '" ''^'^'°" '° ™y b^^ther's services, in the clear- 
est light I have thrown into the Appendix authentic copies of tJ e 
documents in the case, marked [ E, ] to which I now refer The Z- 
count was presented-but why ? Fii^t ; Because it was a just one, as 

ha Mltldd r '°'7'"^ '""^^^^ "°^^^'^h ->' --P-tat'ion 
hat Kendall would have the justice to pay it ; if he had, t would 

have been an agreeable disappointment. Secondly ; Becau e t was a 
more valid and equitable claim than many others I'hich had om^t^ 

rLt u n^'' °"' ""'' -^i ''"^'' ^"°^^'^*^ ^"^^ P^id in several of the 
Executive Departments, without the merest shadow of a pretence that 

lie App.naix, cidss [ U,] with the remarks accompanying it. 



21 

the services claimed had ever been performed; and, thirdly, if ^//tV 
account should be rejected, I should have a strong case of the penuri- 
ous injustice and oppression of this Government oi unity in one De- 
partment, to set off its reckless prodigality and low favoritism in the 
same, and other Departments. So that here are, I presume, reasons 
that look to the public good, as well as reasons that sustain individual 
rights, while they hold up the mirror to the perpetrators of prodigality 
to favorites and oppression to the friendless, at the expense of the 
people's purse, and in mean and secret derision of their misplaced 
confidence ! ! 

That my brother extended to me a participation, in loan, of his scan-, 
ty purse, I have always freely avowed ; nor is this the first time that 
Kendall has had the meanness to advert to it. But what are the cir- 
cumstances? We were partners in misfortune long before we came 
here ; nor was it, by any means, the least of our misfortunes that we 
ever took it into our heads to advocate the election of General Jack- 
son, against the remonstrances of friends ; one of whom, a distinguish- 
ed military officer, in the frankness and sincerity of his heart, used 
the homely but expressive admonition to me, ne siitor ultra crepidam ; 
but all was in vain : I was an enthusiast, and would not be diverted 
from a purpose thai had plausibly promised so much public good — 
a sad delusion ! Yes, my companion in misfortune, my brother, fol- 
lowed my destinies here, buoyant with the exultations of a Jackson 
victory, and when we thought we could encounter the expenses of 
house-keeping, we clubbed our little means, to pay for furniture, Sec, 
&SC. Who objects ? Does any man but Amos Kendall ! My brother 
had command of whatever he wanted, and I would have sold out, at 
any time, to refund him, if he had desired it. In fact — be it spoken 
to his in-finite praise — his wants were but small, and he ever regard- 
ed mine with more heartfelt concern, than his oivn ! ! 

In conclusion, I feel myself bound to say, that I have ample cause 
for revenge upon my persecutors here, and not those alone who secrete 
themselves behind an anonyuious tool. Not for the loss of ten 
years of the most precious portion of my life and my professional pa- 
tronage, heedlessly pledged upon a party-colored card ; — that was my 
own look out ; not on account of my own personal sufferings ; nor yet 
to avenge, alone, the death of my brother, by over-exertion in the 
Post Office Department, to please those about him, though to me 
cause enough for revenge in the sight of God ! but there have been 
other fatalities growing out of these persecutions, operating through 
maternal sensibilities, that entwine around every nerve of my heart, 
and shall never be effaced from it. 

Washington, October 14, 1837. 



APPEN DIX. 



[ Class A. ] 



[The following communication was made to tlie Richmond Compiler, to show 
the authority on which I had ordered certain comforts for the prisoners, and the 
legal provisions, to the same effect, that grew out of it.] 

From the Richmond Compiler, 1823. 
[communicated.] 

Richmond, 19th February, 1823. 
To the Honorable Court of Hustings : 

Gentlemen : I beg leave to solicit your attention to the accommodations and 
discipline of Henrico Jail, where the prisoners of your Court are confined, jointly 
with those of the County Court and the Superior Court of Law. That you may 
understand the ground upon wliich I presume to makethis request. Hay before you 
the following copy of a letter I addressed to the County Court on tiie 3d inst., and 
a copy of the order of that Court consequent thereon. 

(Signed) R. MAYO. 

Richmond, 3d February, 1823. 
To the Honorable Court of Henrico County : 

Gentlemen : You will perceive by the resignation of my brother, Dr. E. Mayo, 
as Physician to the prisoners of your Honorable Court, that I have authorized him 
to nominate me as a candidate to the vacancy. But, before you have decided upon 
your choice, I beg leave to propound a single query which may possibly have some 
effect on your election, either in my favor, or against me, as its affirmative solution 
will be essential to my acceptance of the appointment. 

The query is — whether do you not conceive it to be the duty of the superintend, 
ing physician of any public institution to have cognizance of the causes which 
conduce to health, or disease, as well as of the means of curing or palliating dis- 
eases when they actually do occur ? And that the attending physician may visit 
and inspect such institution, from time to time, at his discretion, and appeal to 
the authority from whence he derives his appointment, if he discovers noxious 
causes which he cannot procure to be otherwise corrected, &-c.. &c. 

Yours, &,c. (Signed) R. MAYO. 

After the above communication, I was told by one of the presiding magistrates, 
that the Court were pleased with my suggestion ; and the next morning the Clerk 
handed me the following order. 

In Henrico County Court, 
February 3d, 1823. 

Ordered, Tliat Dr. Robert Mayo, he requested to superintend the prisoners in the 
Jail of Henrico County, until an appointment is made by this Court. 

Copy — Teste, 

J. B. WHITLOCKE, C. H. C. 

Under these circumstances I felt myself authorized to examine, immediately, into 
the condition of the prisoners ; and the result was a discoveiy of evils calling most 
imperiously lor instantaneous relief. Accordingly, I have caused them to be reme. 
died at the smallest possible expense, with the full confidence that the measure will 
be sanctioned by the Courts concerned. Other defects were also apparent, but not 
being sources of momentary and grievous distress to the prisoners, may be corrected 



24 

at leisure. I will proc.notl to tho separate detail of theso frripvaMCis, sincl concluda 
witli a linv remarks on tlie discipliiio tliat seoiiis jiropi'r to he observed by the 
turnkey. &,c., &.c. »« * « i.« r* *,********** * 

[Omitting the detail of these documents, here follows a sketch of the Law that 
grew out of them, which is their substantial representative.] 

SKETCH OF THE LAW. 

" H ireaflcr, every County and Corporation Court shall keep in good repair a suffi- 
cient jail, well secured with iron bolts and bars, &.C., and with apartments sutfieient 
for the conveniant accommodation of the prisoners; so that convicts and slaves, 
may be kept separately from each other, and from other prisoners ; such apart- 
ments to bd provided with adequate windows, and fire-places or stoves. In case the 
jails do not come up to this description, the Court shall forthwith proceed to take the 
necessary measures to make them conformable to this act ; under the same penal- 
ties as are now imposed for failing to erect and keep in <rood repair a good and suffi- 
cient juil: The jailer to furnish every prisoner with sufficient and reasonable bed 
and bedding; to have the rooms well whitu.waslicd, at Iciist twice every year, 
always cleanly and well-aired; in case of sickness, to have the prisoners adequately 
nursed and attended, and if necessary and practicable, in a separate room; an addi- 
tional allowance to be inade by the Court to the jailor chargeable in the same man- 
ner as other fees of sick prisoners are now chajgeable ; for failing to discluirg« 
these or any other duf i-'s required by law, in relation to prisoners, the jailer is liable 
to a fine of tiiirly dollars for each oiFence, to removal from office, and tiierefor to bo 
forever disqualified from holding the office of jailer in tliis Commonwealth. The 
inspectors of jails, required by law are to be three in number, one of them, at least, 
to be a physician, if to be had ; and the judge appointing them, is to instruct them, 
specially, in the nature of their duties, and to administer them an oath in the follow- 
ing form : [Here follows the oath, embracing a particular enumeration of the duties 
required of the jailer in this act ; on all which points the inspectors are to rejwrt to 
the Court ;] if tlieir report should fail in any respect to respond to those requisitions, 
it is to be recommitted to them until they shall fully report on all these matters. 

This act is to be given in charge to the grand juries at eveiy term of tire Supe- 
rior Courts, who shall present any offences against the same ; and the General 
Assembly earnestly recommend to the judges of those Courts, to make at every 
term a personal inspection of the state of the jail, the treatment of prisoners, &,e. 
A jailer is to be liable to a fine of thirty dollars for each offijnce for pemiitting the 
intemperate use of aitlent spirits. — No slaves to be received in a jail, fen- safe keeping, 
except on warrant of a magistrate, or other public authority; and except slaves 
taken in execution by any sheriff or coroner. Before the judge of any Superior 
court shall direct tlie claims of guards employed by any jailer in consequence of 
the bad repair or insecurity of the jail, to be paid by a county levy, or coi-poration 
tax, he shall make a rule on the justices of such county, &C., to shew cause against 
the said order; the service of the rule on the Commonwealth's attorney for such 
County, &.C., to be considered a sufScient notice to the justices. If a runaway- 
slave be confined in a jail, not provided with adequate clothing, the jailer shall fur- 
nish him with proper clothing or other necessaries ; the cost to be adjust;^! by the 
Court of two justices, and to be paid by the owner before he receives the slave ; or 
out of the proceeds of tlie sale of such slave, if sold accoi-ding to law at the end of 
twelve months." 



[ Class B. ] 



From the Jackson Republican of March 12, 1827. 

VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE. 

Bank of Virginia. — It will be recollected by our readers, that, in consequence of 
great public discontent at certain alleged abuses, practised by the President and 



25 

Cashier of the Virginia Bank, (the purport of which the editor of this paper felt it 
his duty, as a pubHc organ of communication, to lay before the House of Delef^ates.) 
a special committee was raised for investigating the matter, with power to send for 
persons and papers. This committee completed their laborious duty, a few days 
before the adjournment of the Legislature, and made a most lucid and able report 
upon the subject ; pronouncing a very severe censure upon the Directors, the Pre- 
sident, and Cashior, for transcending the powers delegated to them by the charter 
and by-laws of the institution. The report will be found at length, here subjoin- 
ed ; and will be raad with satisfaction by all friends of free competition, and enemies 
to monopoly in trade. We recommend the discrimination made by the committee 
between bona fide bills of exchange, and domestic or wind-drafts, to the particu- 
lar attention of the Directors, or they may incur fearful consequences in the final 
disposition of this matter, at the next session of the Legislature. 

REPORT. 

The select committee appointed to inquire into the power of the Directors of the 
Banks of this (commonwealth, with regard to vesting in their Presidents and Cash- 
iers, the power to discount drafts and bills of exchange, and whether that power 
be expedient or not ; also, if any abuse has grown out of the exercise of that power, 
and if any abuse, to what extent, respectfully submit tlie following Report : 

Your committee, in the examination of this subject, have confined their atten- 
tion to the Bank of Virginia, being of opinion that the session is too far advanced 
to allow tiiem time to enter into any other investigation. And supposing, from tho 
nature of the charges preferred against that institution, that the affairs of the Bank 
of Virginia were referred to this committee, as the subject of its particular con- 
sideration. * * * * 

[Omitting the balance of the Report, the Resolutions of the Committee are sub- 
joined.] 

1. Resolved, therefore, as the opinion of this committee, That it is not competent 
for the Board of Directors of the Bank of Virginia to invest the President and Cash- 
ier, or any other person, with general and unlimited powers to purchase bills of ex- 
change. 

2. Resolved, also, as the opinion of this committee, That it is inexpedient that 
the President and Cashier of the Bank of Virginia should possess the unlimited 
power of discounting bills of exchange and drafts, as at present exercised by 
them. 

3. Resolved, also, as the opinion of this committee. That the incidental power of 
discounting notes, which has arisen from the exercise of the general power of pur- 
chasing bills of exchange, and discounting drafts, is an abuse of that power, 
even if that power be legitimately conferred. 

4. Resolved, also, as the opinion of this committee, That the reasoning contained 
in the foregoing report applies as well to the charter of the Farmers' Bank of Vir- 
ginia, as to the Bank of Virginia, although this committee, not having examined 
into the course of business in that Bank, is not prepared to express an opinion as to 
the propriety of its proceedings. 



[ Class C. ] 



[ The foUowuig letter was addressed to the President, at Boston, upon receiving 
the notification which follows it. ] 

(Copy.) 

Washington, June 21, 1833. 

To his Excellency The President of the United States, at Boston. 

Sir : Yesterday morning, at 10 o'clock, a carriage stopped at the Pension Office 
door having my brother in it, on his arrival from Richmond, taking me in his way 

4 



from tlie steamboat to m)- lioiiSR. At sifjlit of Iiiiii, I porc^ived he was in death. I 
iiiimcdiatoly jrot into the carriasrp with him, and we drove in a walk home. After 
providinjr i-x.-Yy comfort for him, I returned to tlie office to arrange my desk, lock it 
up, and hasten back to him. 

In the afternoon, while sittinor by my brother's death.bed, I received from Mr. 
Edwards, by the messenger of tlie office, a notice, countersigned by Mr. liobb, that 
my services would be no longer wanted, afler the last of this month. This morn- 
ing, at 10 o'clock, my brotiier expired. 

I know not what connexion my leaving the office in the morning, has witli the 
notice given in the afternoon ; but tlie triple calamity, nevertheless, exists, where- 
by I lose in one twenty.four hours, tin; dearest friend on earth, except my wife, the 
friendly aid of his salary, and my own. 

Taken in any point of view, there would appear to be some personality in this 
notice ; for it is a fact, that there are, besides the old clerks, thirteen other temporary 
ones now cmjiloyed in the Pension oiRce, on fixed salaries, who came into the; otfice 
since I did : two or tliree of whom are destitute of some of tlie most indis])ensable 
qualities for efficient clerks. 

I have thought it advisable to apprise your Excellency of this procedure, as I 
apprehend the Secretary of War may not be with you at present, and 1 should not 
know, with certainty, whereto address him in time to hear from him before the end 
of the month. I sliould, therefore, bo very thankful if your Excellency would di- 
rect a susp -nsion of these orders until your return to the seat of government. 

Hoping that you have realized, in your tour, every gratification, and improve- 
ment of health, I remain, ever, your most obedient servant. 

R. MAYO. 

[ On his return to Washington, Major Donelson informed me, in answer to my 
inquiries, that this letter was received, ami handed to the President, in Boston, but 
that no action was taken on it. 

After the arrival of the President, from his tour, early in July, the following 
documents, above alluded to, were laid before him, and he made tlie endorsement 
appended to them.] 

[ 1- ] 

War Department, Pension Office, June 20, 1833. 
Sir: Enclosed, is a copy of a note to the Acting Secretary of War, accompanied 
by a copy of his order, subjoined to said note, which I now communicate to you for 
your information. Very respectfully, your obedient servant. 

^ ^ „ J. L. EDAVARDS, 

To Dr. Mavo. 



[2.] 

War Department, Pension Office, June 20, 1833. 
Sir : At the close of the present month, I can dispense with the services of 
Messrs. Mayo, M'Blair, and Stiles. I deem it my duty to make this communica- 
tion to you, in order that they may be duly notified that their employment here 
will cease at the termination of the month. 

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant. 

(Signed) J. L. EDWARDS. 

John Robb, Esq., Acting Secretary of War. 

Let the gentlemen dhove named, be notified accordingly. 

(Signed) JOHN ROBB, 

Acting Secretary of War. 
True copy : JOHN D. WILSON. 



27 

[ 3. ] 
( Copy. ) 

Pension Okfick, June '29, 1833. 

Tlie Hon. John Robh, Secrelanj of War, Acting : 

Sir- On the 20th instant, I received an othcial notice of that elite from Mr. 
Edwards, and countersigned by yourself, that my " employment m the Pension 
Office would cease at the termination ot the month." 

\fter due reflection upon tiiis notice, together with all the circumstances con- 
ne'cted with my employment in the Pension Office I have thought it advisable o 
state, for your consideration, the following facts, that you may judge whe her this 
notice is itrictly conformable to the good ofthe service, .nd to ^he .pmi °i ^^^^^^^ 
reservation in the notice promulgated by the Secretary of War on the 28 h of M^ch 
last which says, these changes will bo made " on the nomination of the Commib- 
sioncr of Pensions, when the period arrives rendering a so^ection necessary 

The tacts are these : my employment in the Pension Office is of . - two fold cha 
racter 1st. On any part of the current business of the office, arising out of the 
Inc ease of business under the Act of June 7, 1832, assigned me by the Gommis- 
sk>ner. 2d. A special cliarge from the Secretary of War to compile and superin- 
tend the publishing the Pension Laws, together with the opinions of Attorneys 
General, and regulations of Secretaries of War, lu regard to the execution of those 
laws, with an analytical index to the wliolo. -j ki 

Is The ffi-st branch of business still continues to exist to a very considerable 
extent, and greatly exceeds that stage of increase at which I was brought into the 
office • there bein^ still retained in office twelve or fourteen persons who were in- 
trod^c^d 2' 'myself, not as clerks, but as,W...orA-.r.. and who might be presum 
ed to bo liable to be dispensed with, as the business subsides to the stage at which 
h stood when they were engaged. For, to dispense with those who were employ- 
ed on 10 first stage of increase of business, and retam, as clerks, tlK,se vvho we e 
employ d as job-writers, since the date of the Secre^tary's notice, of 28th March, 
and that, too,^ without non.ination to the Secretary himself, appears to me to be a 
double viola ion of the spirit and the letter of that notice. The business I wa 
first employed on in the office, in stating the quarterly re urns, is now " ore tha 
four-fold ; and that on which I am now engaged, is still abundant m my desk. In 
execntin. the business intrusted to me, there has not occurred a blunder to my 
charge " A few have been reported to me for correction, but they were always 
t ace^ o other hands, or ascertained not to bo errors, but strict y correct, and I can 
nuot^> the instances. Not so, however, in relation to some of those who are retain- 
Srwio came i. as job-workers, since the notice of 28th March ; their blunders are 
fume rous aid flagrant, and come, frequently, under the observation of the Commi^ 
Soner° so that the good of the service, if not seniority of employment, might have 
ji^fotorl 1 rliffi>vent nomination for dismissal. 
- Od In reS ion to the special charge from the Secretary of War to publish the 
Pension Laws iU^utterlJ^ impossible, in the nature of the work that ^t ^l-uW be 
finXd before the Secretary of War returns, and that was fully known to him be 
£p he lef the seat of government; for the analytical index, which is yet to be 
mad out nius? be submifted to the Secretary, for his approval, before it can go to 
™ress. This engagement, alone, in my view, necessarily retams me in office until 

''^:F^i^h is'mosfSpe^^fuUy submitted to the consideration of the Acting 
Secretary of War, by his very obedient .-servant, ^q 

(Signed) 



\ 4. ] 

Department of War, March 28, 1833. 

S,n ■ Tn order to prevent disappointment, and that the gentlemen now employed 
inthe Pension OfSc'e may have'cJnplo time to make other arrangements as soon a. 



28 

the reduction of business there may render their sorvices unn?cessary, you will 
please to make known to them, that, as fast as the public interest will permit, the 
number of clerks will be reduced. Those who hold ap])oiiitmcnts under laws exist- 
ing previously to June, 1832, will bo permanently retained. All the otliers, being 
temporarily employed, will be subject to discharge whi-never their s:'rvic:>s are not 
wanted. Mr. Evans, Mr. Sj'lvester, and Mr. Rice, are indicated as three who will 
be continued, while business, under the Act of June, lS',i'2, requires their services. 
The others will be selected on the nomination of the Commissioner of Pensions, 
when tiie period arrives rendering a selection necessary. 

This information is thus early given, that all the gentlemen interested in the 
subject may be aware of tlie tem[)orary nature of their duties, and that the discharge 
of some, and the retention of others, can give no just cause of offence to any, as no 
one has a claim to preference. 

Very respectfully, I am, sir, your obedient servant, 

(Signed) LEWIS CASS. 

To James L. Edwards, Esq., Commissioner of Pensions. 

True copy : JOHN D. WILSON. 

[These papers were thus endorsed and returned to me by the President.] 

•' The Acting Secretary of War [ John Robb ] reports, no duty for those clerks 
to perform," therefore their further services not wanted. 

(Signed) A . J. 

[ The above endorsation not being satisfactory, nor the report true, I addressed 
the following letter to the President, with its enclosures, which follow it. On 
these papers a reference was endorsed, to " be laid before the Secretary of War." 
The Secretary of War always acted towards me with the greatest kindness, but 
did not undertake to overrule the injustice of the above action, thouorh he con- 
tinued my engagement on the compilation intrusted tome, till completed, as shewn 
by my report to him, [ 6 ] of the 15th August, 1833, at tlie rates of my salary as 
clerk. ] 



[ 5. ] 

Washington, July 12, 1833. 
Your Excellency is entreated to excuse me for conveying to you the inclosed 
statements, which substantiate the points taken in my former communications on 
my case. 

I am now literally unhorsed and unarmed, (except with truth,) fighting in an 
open field, against a numerous enemy, armed with poisonous weapons, behind forti- 
fied batteries, while my followers have been wounded and dispersed in the onset. 
Standing out to the last myself, though mortally wounded, I know not how to give 
up, except as a martyr, while I cling to my unwavering trust in you. 

Cannot my case remain statu quo ante bellum, until Governor Cass comes home ? 

Truly, R. MAYO. 

To the Presiddnt. s 



[ «■ ] 

Washington, July 11, 1833. 
Dear Sir : In compliance with your request, I state, that, in January last, after 
General Van Ness and myself were appointed commissioners to investigate certain 
charges, having relation to the Ordnance Department of the Army and Navy Com- 



29 

missioners Office, we gave notice to Mr. Burdine, now said to be a clerk in the 
Pension Offico, wlio had been in the Ordnance Office, to appear before us for tho 
purpose of giving testimony. He did not appear, as requested by us, and we di- 
rected our clL:rk, Mr. Jourdan, to ascertain to wliat office he belonged, that we 
niight procure an order from tlie head of the appropriate Department, directing him 
to attend, according to an assurance to that effect w'.iich had been given, I think, 
by the Fr-sidcnt. Mr. Jourdan reported that Mr. Burdine had been transferred 
from the Ordnance, to the Pension Office ; but being dissatisfied with the arrange- 
ment, had not reported for duty, and was not then considered under the control of 
government. We, therefore, took no step to procure any order directing him to at- 
tend, and he did not attend, though several times requested. 

With great regard, your obedient servant, AMOS KENDALL. 

Dr. R. Mayo, Present. 



[The following remarks accompanied the above letter :] 

Thus it appears Mr. Burdhio was refractory. He would not work, nor would 
ho give tesLiiaony. To suit his views, he was no officer of the Government, 
and under no control, for which his salary was discontinued by the Secretary 
of War; but, for other views, he is now considered an officer by himself, and Mr. 
Edwards, wiio set him at tlio head of a division in the Pension Offics, on the 2d of 
July, one d;iy after I was dismissed, for want of work, as he alleges. On the 3d 
Jidy, Mr. Burdine withdrew again, and has not been to the office since. 

It cannot be disguised, that Mr. Edwards has taken this course towards me, not 
because there is not work to employ me upon, not because I am any way deficient, 
but, because I am too efficient, and too observant of errors committed in the office. 
This is the true misery of the case. R. MAYO. 



[ 6.] 

War Department, August 15, 1833. 
Hon. Lewis Cass, Secretary of War. 

1 have the honor to announce the completion of the publication of the Pension 
Laws, of which I have had the superintendence, according to your order, and the 
delivery of the same to the book-binder, Mr. Sergeant, as per inclosed receipt. 

The documents herewith accompanying, marked A, B, and C, were delivered to 
nie by Mr. Edwards, by your order, as part of the materials for publication, and for 
which I passed to him my receipts. Those marked D, wei'e obtained from the At- 
torney General's Office, to sup])ly imperfections in the afore-mentioned. The print- 
ed laws which I used, belonging to the Pension Office, were returned some timo 
since. The copy of laws which I had the use of, from the War Department pro- 
per, will be delivered to the messenger to-day. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. MAYO. 



[ Class D. ] 
[ 1- ] 



[The following correspondence will speak for itself; it took place on the occa- 
sion of my dismissal from the Patent Office by Mr. Ellsworth :] 

Washington City, July 18, 1836. 
Dear Sir : In seaman's phrase, I have completely boxed the compass, and have 
found no harbor of repose, no anchorage, no resting place. 



30 

In conversations last evening witli » » * » and » * * *, I learnt that all the 
arniniroinents trrowing out of Mr. * * *'s iippoiiitnicnt in * * * *, and contem- 
plated resignation here, have been made nearly six months ago ; and that sucli is 
the case wltii almost every vacancy that occurs in the * * * * *, or ' » * * », 
before tiie public generally know of their existence. Thus it is obvious that none, 
but thosa innnodiately in connexion with that service, have a possible chance of 
success for any thing in tliat wav. 

I\Iy chance was as bad at tho * * • *. * + • » returned to me this morning 
my pipers, which had been r 'ferred to him by * * + * ; from which I have sepa- 
rated my letter of application to * + * +, and here inclose it for your jjcrusal. In 
order to be certain that tho statements therein were correct and authorized by Mr. 
Ellsworth, I showed him tho letter, and received his confirmation in presence of a 
third person, before it was sealed. How far the appointment of Mr. Hand, (who 
has always been considered to be an opposition coalitionist, and who was already 
provided for, as he has been for years) can be considered a payment of a political 
debt to Connecticut, is not for me to determine. 

But viewing my case, as it now stands, you will perceive that I have done every 
thintr in my power without success ; and that as a tinal resort, I am under the ne- 
ccssfly of consoling * * * *, with a hope that, if it should he in your power to 
offer me any thing in the Post Office Department, you will do so, and thereby con- 
fer an obligation ever to be remembered by 

Your respectful and obedient servant, 

(Signed) R. MAYO. 

Hon. Amos Kendall. 

[Kendall took no notice of this letter, but seeming to avail iiiniself of my expres- 
sion of reliance on his spontaneous tender of appointment, when it should bo con- 
venient, passed the matter in silence. But 1 was resolved to bring him to his speech, 
as I had many reasons to believe he was working the under current against me, 
which shall be made public hereafter. I therefore, some time after, urged him for 
an answer, which was made in the following Jesuitical and evasive strain, yet, half 
promising, but leaving me to doul)t, while, in fact, there were several vacancies hi 
the Department at that time, as was notorious hero, though he affected to con- 
ceal it.] 



[2. ] 

Baltimore, August 4. 1836. 

Dear Sir : The arrival of my family for the purpose of taking passage with inc 
in the rail-road cars, prevented an answer to your letter to-day, before I left Wash- 
ington. 

In compliance with your request, I have now to state that all the places in the 
Post Office Department, of the character you seek, have been filled ; that one gen- 
tleman is retained temporarily until one of the newly appointed arrives, whom I 
shall feel under obligations to provide for permanently, if an opportunity should 
present itself; and that there are two others so circumstanced, that I should feel 
myself obliged to prefer them to recent applicants.* 

On the whole, there is no probability that I can give you employment in any 
short period, nor do I think it right to promise it at all ; and I trust you will be 
able to find occupation elsewhere, which shall be suited to your inclinations, and 
•will yield you the means of comfort. 

I am, very respectfully. 

Your obedient servant. 

Dr. Robert Mayo- AMOS KENDALL. 

* I was not a recent applicant, nor did I specify any place, as he insinuates. 



31 

[ This evasion did not suffice for me. I was determined that he should bo more 
explicit, in some way. I therefore addressed him the following-, on his return to 
Washington, infusing into it a little of the spicy stimulant, which would more pro- 
bably bring him to his speech. It did, accordingly, in the reply that follows, in 
which he lays off all disguises, and under the firm conviction that I was now, in- 
deed, dependent upon him, crying out, come help me, or I sink ; — he seizes the 
fit occasion, and plunges me to the bottom, as he thought — but he only attempted 
the dastardly thing that I expected, while I resolutely stood my ground, and held 
him at defiance. ] 



[ 3.] 

Washington, September 10, 1836. 

Dear Sir : I called yesterday to greet your return home, and to express my thanks 
to you for yoMX friendly letter from Baltimore, when 3'oa left — but did not have the 
pleasure to see you, being then engaged, as the messenger informed me. 

On perusal of your letter, 1 was sorry to find your good will to befriend me, de- 
feated bv so many little obstacles, which I thouglit would have yielded, in some 
shape or other, to ihose friend ly impulses, wliicli I know to sway your bosom. 

Perhaps I go too far in my views on this subject. If I know myself, I think I 
could safely say, that a political friend, of suitable qualifications, would never leave 
me with a negative to his application for employment, while there remained an ene- 
my in my service, whose dismissal would enable me to grant his request. But I 
ought long since to have learnt, that my impulses do not afford the proper rule to 
govern, or criterion to judge, the actions and policy of others, as many recent occur- 
rences, in several of the Departments, will sufficiently attest So far from it, I must 
be reconciled to see political enemies, who have been provided for ten and twenty 
years, and who are ready to plunge the poignard to the hilt, when the occasion shall 
suit, still further advanced and promoted, instead of being dismissed; while political 
friends are frowned upon or neglected, and in one case, even turned out, in order to 
make room for an enemy, (under the pretence of paying a political debt to a State,) 
whose citizenship had been long abandoned, and whose politics were of an adverse 
stamp. To be reconciled to these things, indeed, is saying rather too much ; but to 
submit, because it is impossible to kick against the pricks, is inevitable, even though 
it be with an ill grace. 

That you would have proved a host, in the cause of Jacksonism and Reform, 
none doubted ; and that you will discountenance, as far as is in your power, the pre- 
ference of enemies, and the oppression of friends, I fully believed. Much have you 
done, and much remains for you to do : nor will I permit myself to doubt, that in 
the progress of this holy work, you will extend a hand to me. But that I should 
feel some restlessness under the delays that policy or convenience may render neces. 
sary, will not surprise you, when you review, in a brief sketch, the procrastinations 
and sufferings I have already endured. 

I have been engaged twelve years (by writing and otherwise) in advocating the 
cause of Jackson democracy, and lost my professional patronage, at an early period, 
by it. 

I have been nearly eight years of that time in Washington, maintaining a forlorn 
struggle, against fearful odds of political enemies, who, nevertheless, enjoy the pa- 
tronage of the Administration I have supported. 

In the early part of this period, and under the better prospects I then thought 
I had before me, I acquired the delicate obligations of a family : but sliortly after- 
wards, the overpowering numbers of political enemies in the Bureaux, having be- 
come bold, from indulgence of their superiors, marked me for destruction, even under 
the eye of the President. ♦ • * * 



f2 



In the whole of this time, we liavo never had it our power to pny a visit to our 
friends in Virorinia, during which I have lost tlirce brothers, two sisters, and several 
other near relatives. And with a continuancv) of this unrqual struggle with my 
enemies, wliere the power, too, entirely rests with my political friends, I may lose 
all my family in V^irj^iiiia, before I may have it in my power to pay them a visit, or 
introduce my wife for tiio first time. 

I may bo mistaken, in supposing that, were it in my power, I would strain a 
point for a fri.Mid, under such circumstances, and conclude his sufTcringa. I know 
we cannot always tcdl how we would act, until we are vested with the power, and 
placed under tiie responsibilities of the new situation. Therefore, prob;;bly iimch 
greater allowances ought to be made, than I am prepared to appreciate, for my po- 
litical friends' seeming tardiness in relieving me from this protracted torture. 

Yours, &.C., &c. 
(Signed) R. MAYO. 



[ 4. ] 

[In fact, I did not expect an appointment from him. I was in pursuit of a dif- 
ferent thing ; and here it is :] 

Washington, September 13, 1836. 

Dear Sir: I have received and read your letter, of the 10th instant, having re- 
ference to employment in some of the public otfices, and of the Post Office Depart, 
ment in particular. 

In reference to this Department, circumstances have not changed since I wrote 
you from Balimore. 

Pardon me for saying, that, vpon a dispassionate view of your whole case — the 
past and the present — / think you ought to give up the hope and desire of being em- 
ployed in the Public Offtccs in this City. I feel the more free to say so, because I 
know that such would be my own resolution in your case. 

A little reflection, I think, and casting your eyes on those who move around 
you, and the ckcumslances in which even those who would befriend you are 
placed, will satisfy you as to the grounds of this advice, and make it unnecessary 
for me to recapitulate them. With great regard. 

AMOS KENDALL. 

[ Had I been more plain and explicit, I should have failed to kill the Devil with 
his own weapKjns ; he would not have come forth ! But I knew my secret assail- 
ant, in all his disguises ; and now I dismiss him, naked ! prostrate ! completely un- 
riddled, and harmless I ] 



[ Class E. ] 



Dear Sir : I enclose you the copies you requested ; and inquired of Dr. Hunter 
(who has all the files of applications for Clerkships) for the recommendations of 
your deceased brother, and he could find none. 

I am, very respectfully, dear sir, your obedient servant. 

C. K. GARDNER. 
Dr. Robert Mayo. 

November 23, 1836. 



33 

Copies from the files of the Post OJice Department. 

[1- 1 

General Post Office Department, 

To the Estate of George Mayo, doc'd, Dr. 

To six months services as a temporary Clerk, from the 1st of Septem- 
ber, 1831, to the 1st of March, 1832, (having been employed part ot 
the time in the First Assistant Post Master General's division, and the 
greater part of the time in the Second Assistant's division, and alter- 
wards received an appointment as a permanent Clerk, at fSOOayear; 
but for his services, before rendered, he never received any compensa- 
tion,)— the customary rate of temporary Clerks being $800 a year ^^ 

— six months, ^ 

Washington, October 28, 1836. 

Presented by Robert Mayo, representing the deceased. 



[2. ] 

Statement in explanation of the accompanying Bill 

When these services were rendered, I was a clerk in the First Assistant Post 
Master General's division, as Register of Letters. About the 1st of September, 
1831 in addition to my regular duties, under a pressure of business in the Depart- 
ment several other matters were detailed to me to perform, such as preparing a re- 
port of the emoluments or nett proceeds and salaries of the various Post Offices, 
&,c ; and to address and distribute a new edition of ten thousand Post Office Lists. 
The 'deceased was living with me at the time, and was invited to come to my room 
in the Department, and undertake the duty of directing this edition of ten thou- 
sand Post Office Lists— which he performed according to the instructions of the 
First Assistant, (then Acting Post Master General,) while I performed the other 
jobs, in addition to my regular duty. I have now in my possession the old Post 
Office Lists, which was placed in the hands of the deceased, with erasures and cor- 
rections by the Acting Post Master General, for his guide in addressing the new 
edition. The deceased performed this duty entirely to the satisfaction of Col. Gard- 
ner, as I understood, (except a small portion of it, which was done by Mr. Whar- 
ton,) and was afterwards transferred to tlie Second Assistant's division, and took 
charge of a set of books there, which will show that he continued there tdl a few 
days in March, following. 

When Major Barry returned to the office, during the fall of 1831, application 
was made to him for a permanent Clerkship, under the recommendation of Mr. 
Stevenson and Mr. Archer of Virginia, which was promised to him. But the long 
delay of the appointment, under the daily expectation of receiving it, at once pre- 
vented the claun for temporary services, while it would seem fully to justify its 
being made ; and it is now revived chiefly for the benefit of his grave, which has 
laid exposed ever since his death— which, too, was mainly brought about by his ex- 
treme application to his duties, notoriously averaging more than ten hours a day, 
when office hours were only six a day. 

(Signed) R- MAYO. 

Washington, October 28, 1836. 

P. S. I refer to Col. Gardner and Major Hobbie, for a distinct recollection of the 
services as stated, &c. ( Signed ) R- M. 

5 



34 

[ 3] 

Washington, A^ou. 10, 183G. 

Dear Sir : I called at the Post Oflicn Doiiartment this morning, to lay beforo 
yon the enclosed papers, but rcgretlod to leuni that you were aiisent in consequenco 
of indisposition. 

As soon as you are able to attend to business, I wish you would have the jjood- 
ness to examine this claim and order its payment, if you Hnd it just and reasonable. 
According to the statement of Dr. Mayo it appears to me to be a fair claim ii))on 
the Department, and should bo allowed. However, I do not pretend, myself, to 
know any thing of the facts or merits of the claim, but j)rosumo that Messrs. Gard- 
ner and Hobbie, to whom he refers, arc well acquainted with the case. 

The Doctor has requested me to lay this claim before you, because he felt a deli- 
cacy, he said, in presenting it himself. I should have done it in person had I found 
you at the Department. 

Respectfully, 

(Signed) W. B. LEWIS. 

To Hon. Amos Kendall. 



[4.] 

Official endorsations of the above Papers. 

Respectfully referred to Col. Gardner for the facts of the case, according to his 
recollection. (Signed) A. K. 



I have no recollection of the time the late George Mayo served in the Post Office 
Department, previously to his being employed by authority of the Post Master 
General, which, I find by the record, was June \st, 1832. I can only call to my 
remembrance, that he was previously employed, as I understood, by his brother, 
Robert Mayo, to aid him in addressing a new edition of the Post Office List. 

I never was " Acting Post Master General," according to the provision of the 
Post Office Law ; though Major Barry was much absent. 
Respectfully submitted, 

( Signed ) C. K. GARDNER. 

It does not appear that Mr. George Mayo was employed by the Post Master Gen 1 
eral, or that he even expected compensation — his service having been merely in 
aid of his brother. If it were otherwise, there is no fund out of which the claim 
can be paid, there being no appropriation to which it is chargeable. 

( Signed ) A. K. 

Novemher 19, 1836. 
The Auditor will please file these papers, and inform Dr. Mayo of the state of the 
case. ( Signed ) A. K. 



[ 5. ] 

Auditor's Office for the Post Office Department, 

November 21, 1836. 
Sir : Your letter of the 28th ultimo, and the accompanying account for services 
of your deceased brother, as clerk, prior to his employment by authority of the 
Post Master General, have been considered by the Post Master General, and ho has 



35 

instructed nie to communicate to you the following, as his decision : " It does not 
appear that he was employed by the Post Master General during the time stated in 
the account, or, that he ever expected compensation, his services having been merely 
in aid of his brother. If it were otherwise, there is no fund out of which the claim 
can be paid, there being no appropriation to which it is chargeable." 
I am, very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, 

( Signed. ) C. K. GARDNER, Auditor. 

R. Mayo, Esq. 



[ 6.] 

(Copy.) 

Washington City, November 28, 183S. 

Sir : 1 have received your letter of the 21st instant, and a copy of the papers on 
file in your office, relative to the services of Geo. Mayo, deceased, in the Post Office 
Department in 1831, and in 1832. 

1 am sorry to perceive, from the endorsation of the Post Master General thereon, 
referrino- them "to Col. Gardner for the facts in the case, according to his recollec- 
tion," and from the endorsation of Col. Gardner, in answer, that the final endorsation 
of the Post Master General was made without any reference to Major Hobbie for his 
recollections on the subject. Possibly, the Post Master General's reference to Col. 
Gardner, was intended to embrace an inquiry of Major Hobbie, eqrfally with Col. 
Gardner, for his recollections in the case. But, as it does not appear that Major 
Hobbie has made any statement, and as he is a very material witness— (Jeorga 
Mayo having been transferred to the room of Appointments in his division, by an 
arrangement between himself and Col. Gardner, at an early period of the servicea 
claimed, say about the 1st of October, one month after the services commenced, and 
continued to serve in that room, with other clerks under the direction of Major 
Hobbie, some of whom are yet in the Post Office Department, and would recollect 
the facts, in part. Doctor Lacey, for one— I beg leave, respectfully to request, through 
you, the indulgence of the Post Master General, to re-open the case, in order to 
make the inquiry for the facts more complete. 

I am encouraged to make this request, because I am confident it would enable 
the Post Master General to reach very diffi;rent conclusions from those he endorsed 
on the papers, viz : that " George Mayo's services were not authorized by the Post 
Master General — that he never expected compensation — his services having been 
merely in aid of his brother." It will be in my power to show, by a full inquiry, 
all the facts adverted to in my note explanatory of the bill rendered, viz : that, 
though I invited George Mayo to my room in the Post Office, about the 1st of Sep- 
tember, 1831, to address an edition of the Post Office List, yet, this, and other jobs, 
had been brought from another division of the Post Office Department, to me, to 
perform, on account of the pressure of business in the office, (as was then stated to 
me ; ) by which it is obvious my aid was put in requisition to assist that division : 
and upon the principle that despatch was desirable, I requested my brother's aid ; 
which, so far from being objected to by Col. Gardner, (then head of the office. Major 
Barry being absent,) was performed under his occasional supervision, and to his 
entire satistaction, as was frequently expressed to me. Application was made to 
Major Barry, on his return to Washington for compensation, but no formal action 
was taken on it ; true, it was not allowed. When that job was finished, about the 
1st October, George Mayo was transferred to the office, or room of Appointments, 
under Major Hobbie, as above stated, where he continued for the balance (five 
months) of the time claimed. 

If then, the invitation to my brother to assist me in despatching masses Ot work, 
(under the supervision of Col. Gardner, and appearing every way acceptable to hun,) 
in which, too, I was assisting another division of the Department, may tairly be 
considered in the light of '• assistance rendered me merely," yet, surely, from the 
time of his transfer to another division of the office, by an arrangement between 
Col. Gardner and Major Hobbie, in which I had no agency, his services cannot be 



36 

considered as " merely in aid of me," for I never know the function in which he 
was there employed : but were such as ought to have been remunerated by the De- 

partment. , 

Moreover, these services were rendered, pending the almost daily expectation ot 
a perniament appointment, according to promise of Major Barry to Mr. Stevenson 
and Mr. Archer, from the commencement of that session of Congress, which 
placed George Mayo in a very delicate situation, by protracting his services, under 
delusive expectations, which, at the same time, prevented his pressing or reiterating 
a claim for remuneration. 

Suppose this temporary employment had been protracted for a year or two, with 
the 7>fljs fatuus of a daily expectation, from pro7nise deferred, to have a permanent 
appotntmcnt— might it not, in equity, constitute a fair claim for compensation ? or 
would not common sense call the procrastination and refusal to compensate, an 
egregious take-in ! The application to M^ijor Barry, in the first instance, for com- 
pensation, was not based upon the authority of my invitation to George Mayo, to 
assist me, but upon the satisfaction given to tho Department by his performance, 
and the recognition and continuance of his services, with promises of a permanent 
appointment, injuriously postponed for months, to him, wliile his services were ac 
ceptable and beneficial to the Department. Under this view of the case, I am con- 
fident the honorable Post Master General will confirm the claim ; and if there be 
no fund out of which it may bo paid, will include it among other estimates for an 
appropriation, to be laid before the Post Office Committee, or otherwise, as to him 
may seem fit. 

I have the honor to be, &c., 

( Signed ) ROBERT MAYO. 

Hon. C. K. Gardner, Auditor of the P. O. Dept. 



[ 7- ] 

Auditor's Office for the Post Office Department, 

January 3, 1836. 

Sir : Upon the subject of your last communication, respecting your claim to com. 
pensation, for services of your deceased brother, as Clerk, I beg leave to state, that 
before the conflagration of the Post Office Building, the claim, as explained in that 
communication, was again brought before the Post Master General, who adhered to 
his decision in the case, communicated to you in my letter of the 21st November 
last, there being no appropriation, out of which the claim, if considered well founded, 
could be paid. 

I return the papers, except the communication above referred to, which, although 
not probably lost, has been missed since the fire. 

I am very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, 

i Signed ) C. K. GARDNER, Auditor. 

Dr. R. Mayo. 

[Such are the ideas of equity entertained by the Head of one of the great De- 
partments of this Government, who next turns about to charge me with fabricating 
a fraudulent claim, while claims have been granted in profusion to favorites in tha 
same Department, for nothing done ! 1 !J 



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